PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Henson, Gay
AU  - Hicock, Paul
TI  - Rapid Detection of West Nile Virus in Birds Using the VecTest™ WNV Antigen Assay
AID  - 10.29074/ascls.17.4.218
DP  - 2004 Oct 01
TA  - American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
PG  - 218--220
VI  - 17
IP  - 4
4099  - http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/17/4/218.short
4100  - http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/17/4/218.full
SO  - Clin Lab Sci2004 Oct 01; 17
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine if the VecTest™ West Nile Virus Antigen Assay (for testing mosquitoes) could be adapted to detect West Nile virus (WNV) rapidly and accurately in birds for screening purposes.DESIGN: Cloacal swabs and tissue (kidney and spleen) were harvested from 40 fresh dead birds. The VecTest was used for each swab specimen for detection of WNV; PCR was used for each tissue specimen for confirmation of WNV.SETTING: Mississippi Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (MVDL) in Jackson Mississippi and College of Veterinary Medicine-Mississippi State University (CVM-MSU) in Starkville Mississippi.SPECIMENS/SUBJECTS: Forty birds of the Corvid family (31 blue jays and 9 American crows) were included in the study. Fresh dead birds that died from no obvious cause were submitted for testing.RESULTS: VecTest results were 35 positives and 5 negatives. PCR results were 35 positives and 5 negatives.CONCLUSION: The VecTest showed 100% accuracy.ABBREVIATIONS: CVM-MSU = College of Veterinary Medicine-Mississippi State University; MVDL = Mississippi Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory; PCR = polymerase chain reaction; PFU = plaque forming unit; RT-PCR = reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction; SLE = St Louis encephalitis; VI = virus isolation; WNV = West Nile virus.